Have you guys ever used OC spray in real life, or been sprayed by it? If not, it sucks and will get on you when you spray it at a bear. I don't recommend OC spray for anyone who hasn't been formally trained in it's use.

I do a lot of hiking and back country exploring but the threat of animals has never really concerned me. Pot growers and the isolation of off-road destinations make humans even more dangerous than they would be anywhere else. No one will call a cop if they hear gunfire and there aren't any witnesses. I know you're looking for advice about wildlife, so I'd say give them plenty of warning you're out there -- they don't want to deal with you. Make noise. Whistle, smell 'human' -- put cologne on, the wind will do the rest. Carry an air horn. Maybe a road flare -- fire and smoke might be your friends. Stay out of box canyons or anywhere you might inadvertently corner an animal. Approach water where there's lots of visibility up- and downstream. Travel populated trails (I know, against the goal of 'getting away from it all' but you really just need to get away from some, not all. : ) If you have to shoot a bear and you have ooportunity to aim, the face seems pretty vulnerable. Eyes, nose, muzzle. Seems a shame to contemplate. I'd feel better about dealing with a 'rational' animal in a defensive situation.

Your comment about 'cologne' goes against the advice generally given up here. Deodorants, cologne and such seem to be an attractant for bears here.

I've deterred a black bear (all we see around here and never one over 200lbs.) with just yelling 'SCAT!!' while waving my arms, and he did. I understand the ones that are not afraid of humans will run off, then circle back a few minutes later in pursuit (usually garbage) of whatever attracted them in the first place. They seem to have very short memories

Hogs are the big problem here, had to shoot a sow that probably went 200 or better because I accidentally ended up between her and her piglets. One shot with a .380 at less than 10' to the head and she was done. She was probably 300' away when she began her charge, amazing how fast they can move.

I live in Seattle area (Puyallup). I hike and camp in the foothills of MT. Rainer, outside of Greenwater/Enumclaw, and have for the past 15 years.

I carry a Glock 22, and so dies my camping buddy. I can tell you straight up, MAN is your threat. We have had a few nasty encounters with people, and never a nasty encounter with a black bear. I have seen them, but they really just go on there way.

........without all the tedious paperwork and legal issues of shooting them!

Spray is nice, but it is kind of difficult to make sure the wind is blowing the right direct if you are the victim of a sudden attack and if it works good on THEM, the wind can make it work well on YOU.

Spray is nice, but it is kind of difficult to make sure the wind is blowing the right direct if you are the victim of a sudden attack and if it works good on THEM, the wind can make it work well on YOU.

Yes it can. Do NOT ask me how I know.

__________________"I have one simple request... and that is to have sharks with fricking laser beams attached to their heads!"--Dr. Evil

The G27 is no slouch, it's very concealable yet still packs a good punch. I've chrono tested 180gr at 1125 fps from mine so that's not bad at all. Sure it's no long gun, but for the size it packs a punch. 200gr is a great option too, and here's a good choice from Buffalo Bore:

The G27 is no slouch, it's very concealable yet still packs a good punch. I've chrono tested 180gr at 1125 fps from mine so that's not bad at all. Sure it's no long gun, but for the size it packs a punch. 200gr is a great option too, and here's a good choice from Buffalo Bore:

........without all the tedious paperwork and legal issues of shooting them!

A gun in the woods does not always need to be fired to deter the 2 legged threat. In my NW woods experience, just having it on my hip has swayed a couple threats from escalating. I do not think paperwork would deter me from defending my life in a situation where I am legally justified using lethal force.

I have choked, ate, inhaled enough CS gas in my life to realize it is not as effective as one wants to believe .. specially if you have deployed and used it. I know what's coming. BIGGEST can I ate: I got a can of CS gas dropped on me fighting out of a foxhole at a 3 way intersection, I ate that stuff straight up. They tossed it into my hole my while driving right next to my position. I threw the can out of the hole, climbed out, and returned fire at the fleeing vehicle just fine. .. minus the puke.

Carry your Glock since that is what you have. I would load 2 or 3 loads like the 180 grain bonded PDX 1 up first followed by either a 200 grain hardcast or flat point FMJ in the rest of the magazine. Cover the 2 and 4 legged threats. Then start saving up for a 4 inch 44 magnum revolver. Every outdoorsman should own one.

I routinely carry a H&K USP-40 when backpacking. I mostly carry 180gr. hollow points or sometimes 180gr. FMJ's. It's nice to see some purpose built ammo for this situation. I've honestly never loaded 200gr. bullets in the 40 - always figuring 180grs. was going to give me better perfomance.

The 40 is better than nothing for sure! I don't yet own a 44 Magnum and really wouldn'
t want to carry anything larger anyway. I like being able to carry something I normally carry and shoot.